Assignments involving the use of ICT for Jørn's English class |
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(looking up given URLs, using search engines, email, interactive multiple choice tests) |
(using a word processor to produce drafts and revised versions; email contacts abroad) |
(more use of search engines, email to gather information; building websites) |
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Objectives:
The US Census Bureau is the government agency that produces official statistics on various aspects of the American population. This agency is in charge of the census, a counting of all Americans that takes place every ten years.
Go the US Census Bureau website and look for their "Subject A-Z" link or, if you want some more help, use the tips given in each question below, and see if you can find answers to the following questions:
Objectives:
If you feel you already know enough about search engines, go directly to Assignment #2
There are many good search engines and they all have good Help files that will give you instructions on how to use them. However, as an introduction for those of you who are not familiar with search engines we are going to take a closer look at AltaVista. Remember that the "syntax" (e.g. the use of + or - signs) is probably not the same for other search engines.
Example:
As our example we are going to try and find the answer to the following question about one of the presidents listed on p.167, Thomas Jefferson: what was Jefferson's private home called, and what does it look like (it is, in fact, one of the most famous buildings in the US)?
Try the following steps. Do not look at the websites
you find based on the first five searches, just make a note of how many
hits each search comes up with. Now type the following words in bold into
the search line at the AltaVista homepage:
Once you have found the name of Jefferson's home, find a picture of it. You can go to one of the websites you found in your search, or use AV PhotoFinder (see under Specialty Searches just below the search line at AltaVista's home page. Type in the name of the place.
Objectives:
Please note that the multiple choice test does not test everything you need to know on the American political system. I expect you to be able to explain, not just state facts. Secondly, multiple choice tests can sometimes look simpler than they are. Read all of the possible alternatives before you click on the one you think is correct. On that cautionary note, go to the multiple choice test on American politics.
Objectives:
Essay: The stories of two Bills - Bill Clinton and Bill Gates
Read the text "Understanding Americans" pp. 170-173 in Targets. While reading, make notes as suggested in Task 1 p.174.
Next, read the official biographies of Bill Clinton (from the White House website) and Bill Gates (from the Microsoft website) . Then write a little essay where you point out how the values discussed in the text "Understanding Americans" are important in the official biographies of these two famous Americans.
Note! Email me
the first draft! Close the Word-document that contains
the essay and make it a file attachment to a mail
to my address.
Assignment #5
Our læreplan states, among
other things, that
5a
ha kunnskap om utdanning, arbeid, næringsliv og miljø i USA
Your challenge for March and April
is the following:
Use all available sources, including textbook, e-mail, library, Internet, fellow students, and , yes - even your teacher - and gather as much information as you can about education in the US.
Demonstrate that you have acquired knowledge about this field by giving a presentation about it to the rest of the class and to the teacher in either of the following forms:
Work in groups of three at the most.
Note!! Whatever form of presentation you
choose, you all have to submit an individual email log to me about
your work every hour that we have access to the computer lab.